Cathy Jo Brown, the former Antigo woman who fled the state in December 2016 with her two young children in violation of a court order was sentenced to prison in Langlade County Circuit Court Wednesday.

The sentence brought the nearly year-and-a-half long case to a conclusion, as Brown, who has been held on a $20,000 cash bond since February of 2017 pled guilty to two charges of interfering with custody after a court order, while two identical counts were dismissed but read in, as part of a plea agreement with the Langlade County District Attorneys office.

She received a seven year prison term, consisting of two years initial confinement and five years of extended supervision. She did receive credit for 409 days served.

Brown, represented Wednesday by attorney Cana G. Kohn, must also pay court costs in the matter, comply with all family court orders pertaining to her children, undergo a psychological evaluation and counseling.

She was arrested Jan. 23, 2017 in Hill City, S.D. She had been traveling with the children and a companion.

The case began in November of 2016, when the children had missed three straight days of school while in Browns care. Sgt. Nate Musolff of the Antigo Police Department spoke with Browns ex-husband on Dec. 1, who stated he had been trying to contact her without any luck. The following day, Brown failed to show up for a custody exchange.

A manhunt ensued, as authorities received information she may have been in South Dakota, Tennessee, Illinois or somewhere in Wisconsin. Federal authorities were later able to narrow that search down to South Dakota, where they feared the group might have been camping in extreme weather conditions.

On the night of Jan. 23, a truck matching the description of the one believed to belong to Brown was found broke down. Authorities then discovered the group had been given a ride to a hotel, where she was arrested.

CATHY JO BROWN

Mother sentenced in child custody case, started here

Cathy Jo Brown, the former Antigo woman who fled the state in December 2016 with her two young children in violation of a court order was sentenced to prison in Langlade County Circuit Court Wednesday.

The sentence brought the nearly year-and-a-half long case to a conclusion, as Brown, who has been held on a $20,000 cash bond since February of 2017 pled guilty to two charges of interfering with custody after a court order, while two identical counts were dismissed but read in, as part of a plea agreement with the Langlade County District Attorneys office.

She received a seven year prison term, consisting of two years initial confinement and five years of extended supervision. She did receive credit for 409 days served.

Brown, represented Wednesday by attorney Cana G. Kohn, must also pay court costs in the matter, comply with all family court orders pertaining to her children, undergo a psychological evaluation and counseling.

She was arrested Jan. 23, 2017 in Hill City, S.D. She had been traveling with the children and a companion.

The case began in November of 2016, when the children had missed three straight days of school while in Browns care. Sgt. Nate Musolff of the Antigo Police Department spoke with Browns ex-husband on Dec. 1, who stated he had been trying to contact her without any luck. The following day, Brown failed to show up for a custody exchange.

A manhunt ensued, as authorities received information she may have been in South Dakota, Tennessee, Illinois or somewhere in Wisconsin. Federal authorities were later able to narrow that search down to South Dakota, where they feared the group might have been camping in extreme weather conditions.

On the night of Jan. 23, a truck matching the description of the one believed to belong to Brown was found broke down. Authorities then discovered the group had been given a ride to a hotel, where she was arrested.